Automatic railway switch



Aug, 11, 1925.

V. C. PESAN KA AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH Filed March 27. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 K C. Peaamia Aug. 11, 1925.

V. C. PESANKA AUTQMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH Filed March 27. 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zlwuentoz V, 6. Pnsan Aug. 11, 1925.

' 1,549,502 v. c. PESANKA AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH Filed March 27, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 z: 1.3.

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Patented Aug. 11, 1925- vesntn COSTANTIN PESANKA, or noncanrown, wnsr VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH.

Application filed March 27, 1925. Serial No. 18,861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, *VASILE CosTAN'rIN PnsANKA, a citizen of Presecareni, Rumania, residing at Morgantown, in the county of e Monongalia and State of VVest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Railway Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to an automatic switch for railway use.

It is aimed to provide a novel construction of switch adapted for automatic operation through engagement by means carried on the rolling stock.

Another object is to provide novel mecha W nism for throwing the switch point or tongue, which may be so disposed as to permit ready inspection and repair.

Another object is to provide a novel construction employing spaced track ramps one adapted for engagement before the switch is thrown and the other adapted for en gagement after the switch is thrown, such ramps having operative association with a system of levers which in turn have connection with the switch tongue or point inorder to actuate it.

The more specific objects and advantages will be partly pointed out hereinafter and otherwise appear from a consideration of 35 the description taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an OPP/I? ative embodiment.

In said drawings V V Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the invention'in connection with a track;

Figure 2 'is a view similar to Figure 1 but with covers for they, different parts removed; c

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view passing across the track and through one of the track ramp devices;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view passing across the track through the mechanism for directly throwing the switchpoint; Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the track ramp devices;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view illustrating the levers which control the throwing of the switch tongue or point;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 6;

Figure 7 shows the switch operating elementii car -pied by the rolling stock in side elevation and Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the rails of a main track are shown at 10 in conection with the rails of a branch or intersecting-track at 11. The curved portion of one of the tracks 11 as usual is spaced as at 12 from/the adjacent rails 10 so that the rolling stock may follow a straight course. Goacting with the curved portion of the other rail 11 is a switch point or tongue 13 which is pivoted at 14 for movement on a vertical axis, fastened to a tie or other support at the road bed.

Suitably supported outside of the rails on their supporting ties or otherwise is a housing or casing 15, closed for instance by a removable cover 16, screws or bolts 17 for instance being used to secure the same in place. Within the housing are bell crank or elbow levers 18 and 19 pivoted to the housing as at 20 and 21, respectively- Adjacent arms of said levers 18 and 19 are pivotally connected by a pin as at 22, which preferably passes through slots of said levers, one of which is enlarged as at 19*. Secured in place by and pivoted .on the ends of said pin 22 is a Ushaped link 23.

Lever 18 has a relatively long arm 24 to which a link 25 is pivotally connected and which in turn is pivotally connected to a vertically extending pin 26 on the switch 7 point ortongue 13. Link 25 passes through a suitable opening in one side of the housing.

15, and under the adjacent rail 11 and then into a suitable clearance opening of the tongue 13, as shown, so that it will have clearance for its operation.

The operation of the levers 18 and 19 is controlled by the rolling stock which passes over the tracks 10 and 11. To this end, for

instance about 100 feet from the housing 15, housings 29 are provided one on each side of the housing 15, bein suitably secured to the supporting ties for t e rails or otherwise on the road bed. Housings 29 are for the track ramps and have coy er plates or closures at 30, bolted, screwed 3dr ot-herwise fastened thereto as at 31. Rising centraverse the tracks is conventionall trally from the bases of housings 29 are posts or studs 32 mounting transverse pins 33 on which suitable levers 34 are pivoted. Levers 34 have crank pins 35 to which operating rods or linkages 36 are pivotally connected. Rods or wires 36 pass through suitable clearance openings in the adjacent end walls of the casings l5 and'29 and also intermediate said end walls pass through protective tubes or pipes 37, anchored in place as at 38 in any suitable manner for instance to supporting ties for the rails. One of the rods 36 terminates in a hook 38 which is disposed in opening of link 23, loosely. The adjacent end of the other rod 36, at 39 is pivotally connected to one arm ofthe lever 19.

The levers 34 extend upwardly through openings 40 in the cover plates 30 and are in contact with operating ramps 41. Ramps 41 are in the nature of levers pivoted on horizontal pins 42 to the plates 30. The forward ends of said ramps terminate in de pending guide tines 42 which pass through enlarged openings in the plates 30 and also in the bottom walls of the housings 29. Expansive springs 43, are interposed between the cover plates 30 and ramps 41 to urge said ramps upwardly which are of such a tension as to resist depression of the ramps through tampering, thus permitting and insuring operation only by means subject to the weight of the rolling stock as will later appear. Upward movement of the ramps is limited by sto pins 44 projecting from the tines 42 an engageable with the under surfaces of the cover plates 30.

Said cover plates 30 have upwardly extending ribs on each side of the ramps which act as guards therefore, as guides or operating means later to be described and as a means to prevent foreign matter from entering the openings 40.

A truck as used on rolling stock adapted to shown at 45. Clalnped to the frame of said truck as by a bolt 46, is a bracket or hanger 47 having an axle stud 48 on which an operating wheel or roller 49 is journaled. Said roller 49 is adapted for direct engagement with the ramps 41 in order to 'de ress them and such roller is guided and stea ied by the rib on the cover plate.

In use, a train traveling on track 10 from the left and desiring to switch onto the track 11, is equipped with the roller 49. Such roller 49 moves into engagement with the ramp 41 at the left, thereby depressing that ramp and rocking lever 34 beneath it causing the same to draw on the .adjacent rod 36 which in turn will rock thelever 24 and cause the link 25 to project the tongue 13, at the distal end of the latter, away from the adjacent rail to the open osition. Thus the train will switch onto t e track 11 due to the proper arrangements made for accommodation of the flanges of the wheels thereof as usual. After the train has been switched onto the track 11, the roller 49 will engage the other ramp 41, depressing it and the associated lever 34 so that the latter will draw on the remaining rod 36, lever 19 and lever 18, thus turning the switch point 13 to closed position. At the same time remaining rod 36 is operated by the link 23 so as to restore the left hand lever 34 and left hand ramp to normal position for the succeeding operation. It will be realized of course that the ramps are arranged a sufiicient distance apart as to prevent premature operation thereof and of the switch tongue. It is also to be realiaed that if the apparatus is used on a single track or if the train desires to back for any reason, switch tongue 13 will be automatically operated by the flange of the adjacent wheel of the rolling stock without injury to the ramps or operating parts.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is 1. A switch mechanism having a lever, ramp devices, means connecting said ramp devices to said lever on opposite sides of its fulcrum, and switch-throwing means controlled by said lever comprising a lever operatively connected to the first mentioned lever and a connection from the second mentioned lever for connection to a switch point.

2. Switch operating mechanism comprising a plurality of levers, a link, means pivoting said levers and said link together, ramp means operatively connected to said link, ramp means operatively connected to one of said levers, and a connection from the other lever to operate a switch point.

3. Switch mechanism of the class described comprising a plurality of bell crank levers, a pin pivotally connecting said levers, a link pivoted to said in, a ramp operatively connected to one 0 said levers, a ramp operatively connected to said link, and means extending from the other lever for connection to a switch tongue, said-ramp means being adapted to actuate the parts in different directions.

4. A switch mechanism comprising lever mechanism to throw a switch, a housing for said mechanism, housings spaced from the first mentioned housing, track ramp means mounted bythe second mentioned housings, operative connections from said track ramp means to said lever mechanism, and pipes for the last mentioned means through which the.

ortions of the connections between the houslngs pass. I

5.. A switch mechanism having a depressible ramp for engagement by rolling stock, means to move a switch point through detending through said opening, a ramp on said cover depre'ssible to actuate said lever,

means to throw a switch point through movement of said lever,,a spring between said cover and said ramp to urge the ramp to normal position and resist unauthorized depression thereof, a tine depending from the ramp into the casing, and a stop on said tine engageahie with the inner surface of the cover; I I

7.. A switch mechanism comprisin a casing, said casing having a cover provi ed with an opening, a lever in the casing extending through said opening, a ram on said cover depressible to actuate said ever, means to throw a switch point through movement of said lever, a sprlng between said cover and ramp to urge the ramp to normal position and resist unauthorized depression thereof, a tine depending from the ramp into the casing, a stop on said tine. engageable with the inner surface of the cover, and ribs on said cover on opposite sides of said ramp for the purpose specified.

- In testimony whereof I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VASILE COSTANTIN PESANKA.

,hfio GEORGE G. X BUSAK.

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